The towering shelves
Books up to the glass roof.
LR0725 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sgroey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sgroey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sean Young (@assanges) — CC BY 4.0
An open public library in the middle of the Starfield COEX shopping mall in the Gangnam district, opened in 2017 and now one of the most photographed places in Seoul. It is known for its towering shelves, which rise about 13 metres over two floors and carry tens of thousands of books and magazines under a glass roof that floods them with light. It is not a library in the usual sense, with no card and no lending: visitors pick up a book or magazine and sit at the tables and seats scattered among the shelves. It hosts talks, small concerts and meetings with authors, and in some seasons a large artwork stands at its centre. The best spot for photographs is the escalator or the upper-floor balcony, where the shelves show at their full height. It makes a comfortable, free break between rounds of shopping, especially on rainy or hot days. The COEX mall around it is one of the largest underground shopping centres in the world, with an aquarium, cinemas and many restaurants. The exhibition centre next door has a Muslim prayer room, per visitor guides.
Books up to the glass roof.
The best spot for photos.
Shops and an aquarium around it.
513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, inside Starfield COEX Mall; Samseong Station (Line 2), exit 5 or 6
Yes. Entry is free and needs no card or booking. It is open daily from 10:30 to 22:00, per visitor guides.